Corey Seager off NLCS roster: Can he return for the Dodgers in a potential World Series?
Corey Seager was left off the NLCS roster by the Dodgers with an ailing back, but can Los Angeles get him back if they make the World Series?
Big news hours ahead of first pitch between the Cubs and Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS as the Dodgers have left All-Star shortstop Corey Seager off the NLCS roster with a bad back. This is a huge development as the Dodgers will be without one of their best bats at the top of the lineup and a steady presence in the middle of the diamond.
It’s not one that was completely unexpected, however, as the Dodgers hoped the extra rest after the Diamondbacks series would get him healthy enough to play in the NLCS. Seager missed a chunk of time late in the season with an elbow injury that coincided with the worst stretch the Dodgers played all year. Without Seager, the Dodgers will lean on Charlie Culberson in their best-of-seven series against the Cubs who will start Jose Quintana in Game 1 on Saturday night.
Should the Dodgers get past the reigning World Series champions in this series, could Seager return to the lineup? Seager can return to the Dodgers but they’d have to come up with an injury to someone else and that person would then be ineligible for the World Series.
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And there is serious concern that this injury is more than the day-to-day variety. If he was truly day-to-day, he would be on the NLCS roster, even if it meant playing down a player for a game or two. So even if the Dodgers get to the World Series, there’s a legitimate chance that Seager may not even be healthy enough to return.
The Dodgers can’t bank on his return and will have to make do with what they have, which is the most talented roster in baseball, so let’s not feel too sorry for the Dodgers. Having said that, losing your best or second best hitter the day of the NLCS is not exactly the type of momentum you want. Then again, Clayton Kershaw is starting Game 1 and that’s all the momentum the Dodgers may need in Game 1.